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Superman, Volume 2: The Unity Saga: The House of El

The epic secrets of Superman continue to unfold! A few months in space with his paternal grandfather Jor-El changed Jon Kent forever. With Jon now seeking help from his father, the Man of Steel must learn about the war his son and father fought together and set right the wrongs his father may have unleashed on other worlds. See what changed Superboy in such radical ways as The epic secrets of Superman continue to unfold! A few months in space with his paternal grandfather Jor-El changed Jon Kent forever. With Jon now seeking help from his father, the Man of Steel must learn about the war his son and father fought together and set right the wrongs his father may have unleashed on other worlds. See what changed Superboy in such radical ways as the Unity Saga continues!
Brian Michael Bendis and Ivan Reis continue to astonish in what many are calling the best Superman story ever! Questions will be answered and destinies will be forged, all in Superman Vol. 2: The Unity Saga: The House of El!
Collects Superman issues #7-14.

The epic secrets of Superman continue to unfold! A few months in space with his paternal grandfather Jor-El changed Jon Kent forever. With Jon now seeking help from his father, the Man of Steel must learn about the war his son and father fought together and set right the wrongs his father may have unleashed on other worlds. See what changed Superboy in such radical ways as The epic secrets of Superman continue to unfold! A few months in space with his paternal grandfather Jor-El changed Jon Kent forever. With Jon now seeking help from his father, the Man of Steel must learn about the war his son and father fought together and set right the wrongs his father may have unleashed on other worlds. See what changed Superboy in such radical ways as the Unity Saga continues!
Brian Michael Bendis and Ivan Reis continue to astonish in what many are calling the best Superman story ever! Questions will be answered and destinies will be forged, all in Superman Vol. 2: The Unity Saga: The House of El!
Collects Superman issues #7-14.

30 review for
Superman, Volume 2: The Unity Saga: The House of El

4 out of 5

Sean Gibson–Dec 11, 2019

It’s not exactly Mark Waid on Birthright, but Bendis is spinning himself a pretty fine Superman yarn here. Well, check that—it’s really more of a House of El family yarn, with Superman almost an ancillary character relative to his son Jon (aka Superboy) and dear old dad, Jor-El. It’s a little bit cheap, but Bendis leverages decades of Superman history to bestow upon Kal a galactic reputation such that, when he simply shows up in the midst of a raging three-party battle in the middle of outer spa It’s not exactly Mark Waid on Birthright, but Bendis is spinning himself a pretty fine Superman yarn here. Well, check that—it’s really more of a House of El family yarn, with Superman almost an ancillary character relative to his son Jon (aka Superboy) and dear old dad, Jor-El. It’s a little bit cheap, but Bendis leverages decades of Superman history to bestow upon Kal a galactic reputation such that, when he simply shows up in the midst of a raging three-party battle in the middle of outer space (can you be in the middle of outer space?), everyone stops and looks chastened, like grandma just walked in on them masturbating.
Reis (primarily) and Peterson draw a certain type of superhero book—big, heroic, money-shot-y—with supreme skill, and it’s the perfect complement to Bendis’s spacefaring epic.
I’m already signed up for Vol. 3. Hopefully with fewer sticky-handed, guilt-shamed aliens.

4 out of 5

Chad–Dec 27, 2019

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this arc. I hated that Bendis aged Jon to 17 just so he could take over the Superboy role in the Legion of Super-Heroes. I really loved the relationship Peter Tomasi established with Supes and Jon. Watching Superman be the greatest Pa on the planet was a joy that left me with a warm feeling each issue. I hate to see that end. I don't know why writers are always in such a hurry to age up kids in comics. Once they get older, it tends to be the same stories over I have a lot of mixed feelings about this arc. I hated that Bendis aged Jon to 17 just so he could take over the Superboy role in the Legion of Super-Heroes. I really loved the relationship Peter Tomasi established with Supes and Jon. Watching Superman be the greatest Pa on the planet was a joy that left me with a warm feeling each issue. I hate to see that end. I don't know why writers are always in such a hurry to age up kids in comics. Once they get older, it tends to be the same stories over and over until they feel the need to introduce a new kid to replace the current Superboy, Robin, Kid Flash, etc.
I loved the reintroduction of the LSH. It's good to see the team back. I felt like Bendis left a lot on the table with Rogol Zaar and Jor-El. We still haven't seen their role in the destruction of Krypton even though it looks like their story may be over for now. The stuff he's establishing with the House of El and Superman's role in the galaxy is really great.
Ivan Reis is the man. I love the classic, epic feel he brings to his art.

4 out of 5

Artemy–Aug 29, 2019

Truthfully, I think this arc lost a bit of steam midway through, and ultimately felt a tad too long. But it's still really solid and fun Superman book that just tells the story it wants to tell, it's pure classic superhero comics escapism and there's nothing wrong with that. Bendis still has a phenomenal handle on Superman and Super-family characterisation, and to those who are tired of Rogol Zaar (which, I admit, I too started to get towards the end of this arc) — the book seems to be done with Truthfully, I think this arc lost a bit of steam midway through, and ultimately felt a tad too long. But it's still really solid and fun Superman book that just tells the story it wants to tell, it's pure classic superhero comics escapism and there's nothing wrong with that. Bendis still has a phenomenal handle on Superman and Super-family characterisation, and to those who are tired of Rogol Zaar (which, I admit, I too started to get towards the end of this arc) — the book seems to be done with him, at least for now. I really look forward to what will come in the next book, everything that's been teased so far of Bendis's Legion of Super-Heroes looks rad as hell. As a massive Superman fan I'm still very into what Bendis is doing with him, and I couldn't be more happy that he ripped the character away from the hacky hands of Tomasi and Jurgens.

4 out of 5

James DeSantis–Dec 28, 2019

Growing up I was never a huge Superman fan. I guess when young, or teenager, you're always going to be more into the ultra violent "badass" superheroes. So Supes was scratched off my list really early on in my comic reading days. As I got older I started to be more attached to a guy just trying to do the right thing. Then when he had a kid, and I am now a father, I relate even more.
So Peter had been killing it on the main Superman line in rebirth. Sure, some arcs towards the end got wacky but t Growing up I was never a huge Superman fan. I guess when young, or teenager, you're always going to be more into the ultra violent "badass" superheroes. So Supes was scratched off my list really early on in my comic reading days. As I got older I started to be more attached to a guy just trying to do the right thing. Then when he had a kid, and I am now a father, I relate even more.
So Peter had been killing it on the main Superman line in rebirth. Sure, some arcs towards the end got wacky but the family moments really hit. I loved everything with Jon and Clark and Lois. It all worked really well. Then came Brian Michael Bendis, and one of the first things he does is age Jon 7 years, making him a 17-18 year old teenager. Twitter exploded, and I'll admit even I was taken aback. People loved this new kid Superboy, especially Super sons with Damien and Jon together. So why go and ruin that?
Well this is the volume that actually proved to me age really doesn't matter. The reason I loved Jon, besides his innocence, was his eagerness to prove to his dad he's a hero but also a good boy(man) and always be respectful. This Jon here hasn't changed a bit. Still filled with eagerness to prove his worth while protecting those who need it. We still have Superboy in his prime (no pun intended) just a tad bit older.
This volume focuses on the return of Superman's son but we get to learn why he aged. The story is actually sad and it made me worry for a huge twist but luckily it didn't go a bad way. With that we get pretty much the entire house of el, and more, teaming up to finally take out the crazy son of a bitch who keeps trying to kill him. On top of that Superman has to figure a way to bring all the space communities together.
Overall, this was great! I truly loved everything with Jon. I also enjoyed the dialogue a lot with Jon, his father, and mother. It rang true, it gave us emotion, and the feelings hit you all at once. The art is pure bliss, as each fight scene is bigger and better than the last. Bendis builds a universe around these characters and it all works so well.
My one negative was probably the way they stop the villain. It all happened a bit too fast.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this chapter. This might be my favorite Superman story since the first arc or two in Superman rebirth. A wonderful comic for Superman fans! A 4.5 out of 5.

4 out of 5

Lashaan Balasingam (Bookidote)–May 08, 2020

You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
There are characters in the fictional world that were created so long ago that their stories are known by just about everyone and anyone without actually taking an interest in them. To change the smallest thing about their lives would be called a heresy, but in the hands of the right person, anything is possible. Writer Brian Michael Bendis attempts the impossible as he takes on Superman's saga and brings changes to his story that no one else wo
You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.
There are characters in the fictional world that were created so long ago that their stories are known by just about everyone and anyone without actually taking an interest in them. To change the smallest thing about their lives would be called a heresy, but in the hands of the right person, anything is possible. Writer Brian Michael Bendis attempts the impossible as he takes on Superman's saga and brings changes to his story that no one else would dare to think about. From bringing out the Man of Steel's paternal instincts to unveiling the unknown regarding his home planet Krypton, the upcoming revisions to his lore will redefine his character in unimaginable ways.
What is Superman: Unity Saga: The House of El about? Picking up exactly where the previous story arc left off, writer Brian Michael Bendis further revamps Superman's history through his son Jon Kent's dramatic transformation and his sudden discoveries of the universe. The story then shifts its attention to Superman's father Jor-El and looks into his own history and the secrets that he has been hiding from everyone else as galactic warfare forces his hands and ties him directly to Superman's newest threat Rogol Zaar. Collecting issues #7-15, this lengthy story arc continues to expand and transform a well-known lore into a brand-new avenue promising change and a new kind of hope.
It is jaw-dropping what writer Brian Michael Bendis accomplishes through this comic book series while building up his Leviathan event on the side—even making an effort of mentioning it in this narrative as Superman takes a pause from it to help his son, returned from an epic adventure in space with his grandfather, as he requires immediate assistance in a troubling dilemma. While the story arc begins by looking at the existential crisis embraced by both Jon and Jor-El as well as the parental bond that suffered immensely from the loss of precious time between Superman, Lois Lane, and their son, the story takes a quick dive into Krypton's history and its secret origin covered within another conspiracy.
While the focus is lost as the narrative progresses, there is an appreciatable effort put into reworking the foundation of Superman's life and lore through other characters, especially that of his son Jon Kent. In fact, writer Brian Michael Bendis does a terrifying beautiful job in connecting his story with that of the ongoing stories in the DC universe through beautiful integral references. He also isn't scared of rebuilding some of the political overtones of galactic drama while setting up the stage for brand-new storylines, e.g. the arrival of the Legion of Superheroes. At the cost of some concision, a desire for revitalizing Superman's mythology was thus privileged.
To accompany writer Brian Michael Bendis in this journey is an impressive cast of artists who did a fantastic job in capturing the epic scope of his tale. Among these talented pencilers is Ivan Reis, known for his ability to draw bombastic sequences that remind readers that certain creatures are far bigger than humans and that Earth is much smaller once you enter a galaxy squirming with countless other lifeforms from a myriad of planets. There are also some very original splash pages that invite the reader to rotate the graphic novel to appreciate the grandeur of certain sequences. Colourist Alex Sinclair furthermore ameliorates the visual style through vibrant colours, stylistic gradients, and lively contrasts.
Superman: Unity Saga: The House of El is an ambitious and daunting expansion of Superman's lore through his son's quest for purpose through self-discovery.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/

5 out of 5

Jesse A–Jan 14, 2020

Impressive work from BMB. I dont generally love Supes in space but this story does well and doesnt overstay its welcome.

4 out of 5

Anthony–Sep 05, 2019

I did start to lose interest in this midway. It felt a little repetitive and retreading the same ground. But it’s an okay readable arc. I am curious to check out his Legion stuff, though I might trade wait...
*just read issue 15, which is the actual end of this arc, and it does end nicely. I think Bendis just needs to work on his “getting there”

5 out of 5

Logan–Sep 21, 2019

I'm a little confused about what Bendis is trying to do here, but I'm enjoying the ride.

5 out of 5

Tiago–Jan 09, 2020

Superman makes so much more sense in space, Brian Michael Bendis just got me into Superman with this story arc, I just hope it goes on for a long while.

5 out of 5

Rory Wilding–Feb 22, 2020

Having been reading the trades of Brian Michael Bendis' two runs on the Man of Steel, I've enjoyed Action Comics more than Superman as the former better showcases the character through his mild-mannered alter-ego using his journalistic skills, whilst pairing up with his wife, Lois Lane. Bendis' run on the main Superman title explores the cosmic side of the character, which at times can be too grand and facing monstrous figures that I don't care about as shown in the first volume.
Although the pre Having been reading the trades of Brian Michael Bendis' two runs on the Man of Steel, I've enjoyed Action Comics more than Superman as the former better showcases the character through his mild-mannered alter-ego using his journalistic skills, whilst pairing up with his wife, Lois Lane. Bendis' run on the main Superman title explores the cosmic side of the character, which at times can be too grand and facing monstrous figures that I don't care about as shown in the first volume.
Although the previous volume ended with the return of his super-son Jon, the story sets up the family reunion that I really wanted to see. As someone who read Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason's run on Superman, which wonderfully explored Clark Kent's role as father and husband, as well as making his wife and their son as main characters in the book, what works best about this volume is seeing this family dynamic returned and changed, not least with Jon having aged from an eleven-year-old to a seventeen-tear-old over the course of three weeks.
Although we do see Lois and Jon journeying across the galaxy with Clark's biological father Jor-El, Lois realises the galactic danger that is out there and has no place there, hence returning to Earth. As for Jon, he is trying to find a purpose than just being Superman's offspring, whilst wrestling with his relationship towards his grandfather, who clearly has issues, from secretly knowing that his home planet of Krypton will be destroyed to suddenly causing a number of worlds across the galaxy to be at war with each other.
There is a lot going on here in terms of intergalactic politics and over the course of nine issues, this section of The Unity Saga overstays its welcome and even suffers from some of the problems from before, such as the antagonistic presence of Rogor Zaal, who we finally get his origin and reveal whether or not he was the destroyer of Krypton. Again, I don't really care about that stuff, but what makes this book better than the previous volume in how it depicts the family, both as the Kents and the Els.
Bendis has proven himself to be a fine writer of Superman himself as you have some cool moments from Supes, but the standout is Superboy. Starting off a somewhat cocky pre-teen superhero who tries to stand his ground against the likes of Lobo, to suddenly fall into a black hole, leading him to being imprisoned on a volcano by the Crime Syndicate of America. This whole section is surprisingly dark, but when Jon reunites with his parents, he lets them know that he never falls into the abyss and will always be the son he know and love, despite the age difference, which also showcases the parents' regret of not being able to be with their son as he grow.
Considering how baggy the story can be, from the politics of the spectacle, it is credited to the primary artwork from Ivan Reis and Brandon Peterson to make this splended visual read. Pencilling Jon and Jor-El's stories from the past, Peterson's art has a more modern art-style compared to the classical presentation of Reis' art. That said, both artists serve to tell the story that Bendis tells, comprising of cosmic set-pieces showcasing the various aliens battling each other, whilst various members of the House of El – including Krypto the Superdog – show off their incredible powers. Like I said, Rogor Zaal is not that interesting, but getting his ass kicked is a pleasure to read.
Ending in a grand moment of hope, which seems appropriate for Superman, it opens the door for an interesting continuation for The Unity Saga, whilst setting Superboy's future status as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, of which Bendis is writing.

4 out of 5

Daniel Butcher–Jan 13, 2020

I am feeling a bit more caught up now on what happened to John.
Overall fairly interesting but an ending that doesn't fit the action of the rest of the book...but very superman.

5 out of 5

Chris Lemmerman–Apr 12, 2020

Jon returns from his trip with Jor-El, only for Superman to discover that his ten year old son is now a seventeen year old teenager. What the hell happened? Then, because of course he does, Rogol Zaar attacks! What is the truth behind the destruction of Krypton, and what do the Legion Of Super-Heroes have to do with anything?
This is definitely an improvement on the first arc of the series, I can say that much with confidence. The first few issues detail what happened to Jon, although it's mostly Jon returns from his trip with Jor-El, only for Superman to discover that his ten year old son is now a seventeen year old teenager. What the hell happened? Then, because of course he does, Rogol Zaar attacks! What is the truth behind the destruction of Krypton, and what do the Legion Of Super-Heroes have to do with anything?
This is definitely an improvement on the first arc of the series, I can say that much with confidence. The first few issues detail what happened to Jon, although it's mostly just an excuse to bring back some dead characters since they don't seem to actually influence Jon at all despite the story potential of meeting evil versions of his parents.
Once we get back to reality, the Rogol Zaar story returns with a vengeance despite me hoping against hope that it was going to be forgotten. What's really annoying is that the real revelations about Zaar and the destruction of Krypton are kind of glossed over, and are only really covered in detail over in Supergirl instead, so you're just meant to accept them rather than ask any more questions. And then the Legion show up at the end because Bendis needs to use two issues of this series, plus a two-issue mini-series, to spin-off another book because Bendis.
His family interactions are pretty good however. Lois and Clark, Clark and Jon, Lois and Jon, and Kara and everyone really shine through as a true family, and any time Krypto shows up is brilliant. I was also a fan of the final send-off for Jor-El; if he had to be written out, Bendis does a pretty perfect way of doing it.
And of course the art's brilliant. Ivan Reis and Brandon Petersen tag-team most of the issues, and you can't fault any of them. Reis is obviously the stronger of the two, but Petersen's work lands on its own merit.
We're moving in the right direction; hopefully now that fucking Rogol Zaar has been put to bed, we can move even faster.

5 out of 5

Robert–Jan 23, 2020

Well, it sure was a saga! In fact, with it's throughline of family separation and re-unification under trying circumstances it was even a little like...Saga. Which is never a bad thing!
Like many others I'm of mixed feelings how Jon was summarily aged-up here, but given how artfully it was done and how invested BMB is with the whole Young Heroes angle at DC I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that it wasn't done lightly.
Also, another thing holding this whole series back has been the "meh" fact Well, it sure was a saga! In fact, with it's throughline of family separation and re-unification under trying circumstances it was even a little like...Saga. Which is never a bad thing!
Like many others I'm of mixed feelings how Jon was summarily aged-up here, but given how artfully it was done and how invested BMB is with the whole Young Heroes angle at DC I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that it wasn't done lightly.
Also, another thing holding this whole series back has been the "meh" factor surrounding Rogol Zar. I just don't find him all that compelling or menacing, which is bad news when he's meant to be the "heavy" holding the seams of the story together.
But I'm definitely going to keep reading!

4 out of 5

RG–Dec 07, 2019

Lost interest halfway

5 out of 5

Iris Nevers–Nov 12, 2019

[Read in single issues]
Bendis's Superman is a little weird, to tell you the truth. He's spastic and doesnt seem to act like, well, Superman.
Also what's up with Lois? I cant begin to describe all the problems with Lois.

5 out of 5

Christian Zamora-Dahmen–Aug 28, 2019

Bendis has a plan for his run in the Superman books. It's a good plan, but it's just one single plan. This translates into a story that drags for too long, and when it's about to reach a resolution, it takes a little detour so it can keep going and going and going.
I'm all about exploring a plot, but at some point it goes a bit stale when it doesn't move forward.
At the end of this volume we get an idea of a resolution for the Zaar plot line, but either the closing was a bit underwhelming, or it's Bendis has a plan for his run in the Superman books. It's a good plan, but it's just one single plan. This translates into a story that drags for too long, and when it's about to reach a resolution, it takes a little detour so it can keep going and going and going.
I'm all about exploring a plot, but at some point it goes a bit stale when it doesn't move forward.
At the end of this volume we get an idea of a resolution for the Zaar plot line, but either the closing was a bit underwhelming, or it's not over yet.
On a final note, the arrival of the Legion is definitely a highlight. But let's be honest, it is yet another detour to avoid coming to a real ending.

5 out of 5

John–Nov 27, 2019

Packs a lot in each punch.

5 out of 5

Adam Fisher–Jan 20, 2020

What an amazing Superman story!
With the shocking ending of Volume 1 featuring the return of a now teen Superboy, I knew we would get quite a bit of backstory, Jon having been out in space with Jor-El. What ended up happening changes the entire DC Universe for the better!
Highlights:
- Jon recaps the events that Lois already knew, including when she decided to leave him with Jor-El
- Jon tells of how Jor-El starting acting insane and it caused a rift between them that widened even further when Jon g What an amazing Superman story!
With the shocking ending of Volume 1 featuring the return of a now teen Superboy, I knew we would get quite a bit of backstory, Jon having been out in space with Jor-El. What ended up happening changes the entire DC Universe for the better!
Highlights:
- Jon recaps the events that Lois already knew, including when she decided to leave him with Jor-El
- Jon tells of how Jor-El starting acting insane and it caused a rift between them that widened even further when Jon got sucked through a wormhole to Earth-3, dropping right in front of the Crime Syndicate
- Ultraman keeps Jon in a volcano prison for years and he eventually escapes, where he learns to survive on the streets until he is ready to try to get back home again. His attempt gets him noticed by Superwoman, who tries to kill him, but Jor-El, having looked through time and space for years, is able to save Jon.
- Jor-El puts them into a conflict with 3 armies AND Rogol Zaar, and seeing his grandson in too much danger, teleports him back to Earth, which is where this all began.
- Jon and Clark head to space (joined later by Kara and Krypto) to stop Rogol Zaar and figure out why Jor-El is being attacked. Turns out that Jor-El is part of a galactic conspiracy to cover up the destruction of Krypton. A cease fire and peace summit is held to discuss everything.
- At the peace summit, Jon suggests galactic peace through the formation of the "United Planets" (like Earth's United Nations). As the idea is being discussed, a huge group of people come through an opening. They proclaim themselves as the "Legion of Super-Heroes" from the 31st Century, coming back to celebrate Unity Day... though they have arrived 5 minutes too early. Nonetheless, peace is achieved and Jon is invited to join the Legion and visit the 31st Century.
Overall, I love that Superman has become a title where the entire story can be put into one graphic novel. I really hope the ramifications of this event echo throughout all the other books in DC. Bendis is doing amazing with this title. Strong recommend.

5 out of 5

Roxanne–May 07, 2020

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Synopsis: I'm going to try to keep this as short as possible because this trade was a beast. All right, so we pick up with Superman hugging a teenage Jon. They all go back and Jon reunites with Lois. Jon then goes into what happened with Jor-El. We get the same story here that we did in Action Comics - that Lois felt she wasn't needed with Jor-El and Jon and thought she would only endanger them. From there, Jon says that Jor-El is insane and they would go on missions and such, but there was a ti Synopsis: I'm going to try to keep this as short as possible because this trade was a beast. All right, so we pick up with Superman hugging a teenage Jon. They all go back and Jon reunites with Lois. Jon then goes into what happened with Jor-El. We get the same story here that we did in Action Comics - that Lois felt she wasn't needed with Jor-El and Jon and thought she would only endanger them. From there, Jon says that Jor-El is insane and they would go on missions and such, but there was a time when him and Jor-El weren't speaking.
As for the reason why Jon is a teenager, so basically he got sucked into a wormhole and was sent back in time to Earth-3, home of the Crime Syndicate. He imprisoned there for years by Ultraman until he finally escapes. As Jon is being attacked by Superwoman, Jor-El saves him and they return to Jor-El's ship. Jor-El accuses Jon of trying to run away just as the ship is attacked by Rogol Zaar and Zod. Jon is then sent back to Earth which is where we started the book.
The story loses me a bit here, but from what I gather Superman and Jon go to space to help Jor-El, who is now being attacked by various planetary militaries. There's a lot of fighting going on and eventually Supergirl and Krypto show up to fight as well. Superman and Zod fight at superspeed and explains that he's only going along with Zaar so he could ask for Superman's help.
Zor-El takes his damaged ship with all the Els on it to what remains of Krypton. There he admits he was part of the Circle, but much like the Science Council they would not believe him when he said Krypton was in trouble. Superman is a bit pissed about this because essentially Jor-El was apart of a secret society of galactic leaders that controlled everything behind the scenes. But this explains why everyone wants Jor-El dead, I guess, because of a really fucking old conspiracy.
Again, they are attacked by Rogol Zaar, but this time Zod helps take him down. Thangarians show up and put Zaar in stasis and arrest Jor-El. On Thangar, they somehow manage to bring all these other planet leaders to the same place where Jon suggests they create something similar to the United Nation on Earth. Everyone is skeptical that it will work and then the freaking Legion of Superheroes shows up and confirm that it does work. It works and Jon names the day Unity Day. The Legion wants Jon to come with him, but he wants time to think about it. Jor-El has been sentenced by the United Planets to be returned in time to the moment Krypton blew up.
Zod tells Superman that he's going to find a place to make a New Krypton and they part on good terms. The House of El then goes back to Earth. While they were away, Lex Luthor gave Lois a box, but we didn't see what was in it.
Review: See, this is why it sucks to read comics in trade format. I feel like I'm missing out on a ton a shit that I haven't read, but I know enough that I think I can put the pieces together enough to give an opinion on the story. Overall, I think this would be a more of a 3.5 for me because I did like it more than volume 1. I can't say that I'm still down with Bendis as a writer because there is still some weird dialogue that leaves me scratching my head. It's just like stuff that either doesn't make sense or it's plain out of character.
I'm going to try to start with negatives now in my review and end on the positives. Jor-El seems like a different fucking character every single time he appears. In the Oz Effect, he hated humanity and didn't like that Kal had turned into Superman - he didn't believe in humans, and now suddenly he does? He also goes from being completely nuts to sane at various points in the volume. Dr.Oz/Jor-El could have been interesting, but needless to say, I'm glad he is now out of the picture.
Again, I don't care for Rogol Zaar as a character. I just don't care. I didn't understand how he and all these other planetary militaries started attacking Jor-El or how the fuck Superman and the crew got away from the fight.
The Legion of Superheroes showing up was a surprise at the end, but I imagine it has to do with Doomsday Clock, which I've only read half of. Anyway, I thought the whole United Planets thing was very cheesy and also so sudden. All these leaders managed to agree to this in one day? Look at the U.S. government and how long it takes for them to make decisions and you're telling me this all happened in one day? It was unbelievable. Then they wanted Jon to go with them? If he does, I'll be pissed. He just fucking got back, can we not make Lois and Superman suffer more?
Onto the positives. Like I said, I'm glad Jor-El is seemingly out of the picture. I thought that it was emotional and sad that he was sentenced to go back to the moment Krypton exploded and yet, fitting. I liked that we got answers in terms of what the Circle was and that Jor-El was indeed apart of it. Still confused on why the Circle seemed like they wanted Krypton to die and Adam Strange implying that Jor-El created Rogol Zaar.
I was glad we got an explanation of why Jon aged and I enjoyed seeing the Crime Syndicate again because they've been dead since the New 52. The only one we really get to spend time with is Ultraman, though, which is fine by me because he's my favorite. I liked seeing this vulnerable side to Ultraman and the fact that he cries in Jon's presence. I thought it was very interesting and made him more...sympathetic? He always comes off as a strong, hateful, powerful person, but here we see him being emotional, which is not normal for him. Regardless, it's still very fucked up that he kept Jon imprisoned in a volcano for YEARS.
I liked that Zod and Superman were finally able to see eye-to-eye with each other. I've always loved Zod as a character and I've always wondered what it would be like to see him and Supes get along. Hopefully, we'll get more of that in the future. I'd also love to see Jon and Zod's son interact. We get a little bit, but I wanted more. Also, I liked that Kara was actually involved in this story because writers leave Kara out a lot and it's annoying.
Overall, I enjoyed the volume. It seems like Bendis is finding his footing, maybe. I'm still not completely onboard, but I don't hate it and I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

4 out of 5

Kevin–Sep 05, 2019

[Read in single issues]
The interstellar arc really takes off for the stars, with the gorgeous art, epic space battles, and staggering double page spreads these you'll have come to expect from this run.
Lost in that trajectory, though, was some of the grounding and buildup of stakes that made the first book impactful. This book gives a lot of answers and a lot of payoff; the family dynamics, in particular, are great. And the first few issues tell some great stories and make some big changes to the [Read in single issues]
The interstellar arc really takes off for the stars, with the gorgeous art, epic space battles, and staggering double page spreads these you'll have come to expect from this run.
Lost in that trajectory, though, was some of the grounding and buildup of stakes that made the first book impactful. This book gives a lot of answers and a lot of payoff; the family dynamics, in particular, are great. And the first few issues tell some great stories and make some big changes to the status quo that I think are well earned.
But when we get back to the central conflict in the last few issues, it quickly spirals upward into this grand conspiracy that was only lightly hinted at, and tries to spin that into this dire galactic situation that feels poorly defined, vague, and largely ethereal. We're asked to go from caring about these inter-family problems, Rogal Zarr, the Zods, and suddenly feel invested in a multi-empire clusterfuck amongst characters we don't know or care about and for reasons we don't fully comprehend.
It just felt rushed. But it was exciting, and I'm looking forward to the next arc.

5 out of 5

Baba–Oct 04, 2019

Another surprisingly weak Bendis installment of Superman! Jon recounts his story of his lost years (which could have been a Hell of a lot better and/or intriguing), before the reunions are complete the House of EL has some tidying up to (hectic plotting and art), until the final pay-off is towards the end when a conspiracy is revealed that has been built up over Bendis' previous issues.. so hopefully this is going somewhere special. 6 out of 12... It all needs a bit more of a serious approach to Another surprisingly weak Bendis installment of Superman! Jon recounts his story of his lost years (which could have been a Hell of a lot better and/or intriguing), before the reunions are complete the House of EL has some tidying up to (hectic plotting and art), until the final pay-off is towards the end when a conspiracy is revealed that has been built up over Bendis' previous issues.. so hopefully this is going somewhere special. 6 out of 12... It all needs a bit more of a serious approach to building a Bendis DC legacy

5 out of 5

John Yelverton–May 04, 2020

The biggest and greatest and most relevant thing that happened to the Superman character since his marriage to Lois Lane was the birth of his son Jonathan. DC Comics had a gold mine here where Superman could teach his son all about truth, justice and the American way. We could watch him grow and rub off on Damian in the "Super Sons" books. There was so much potential here, and Brian Michael Bendis just pissed it all away by having him age nearly a decade in three weeks. What a waste.

4 out of 5

Ramon–Sep 03, 2019

Explaining what happened to Jon when he went off, and wrapping up with a nice slamfest with all Krypton survivors. Continuing to enjoy Bendis' run. Though, again, the conspiracy of Krypton's destruction shows a "Univeral Council" who all talk like... Bendis characters. Change it up every now and again, man. That's what can happen if you're writing eleventy books a month.

5 out of 5

Hew La France–Nov 26, 2019

This volume started off GREAT; mystery, action, comedy... but the last two issues (or chapters) left something to be desired. There was much left unexplained, and the introduction of the 'United Planets' (based on Earth's United Nations) is laughable, given how productive the U.N. is. Still, I'd recommend it.

5 out of 5

Robby–Jan 02, 2020

Reis' artwork is beautiful in this. While many of the big plot points seem to be there just to push toward a new status quo, they are generally well executed, particularly the Jonathan Kent storyline. Also, apparently some of the details of this got explained in Supergirl, so may have to check that book out as well.

5 out of 5

Danielle–Jan 12, 2020

This isn't the storyline I'm most invested in, but I still enjoy it. Bendis' style is a little different from the majority of what I read, and this gives me a chance to branch out. Each volume ends like it's The End so I'm not entirely sure where this is going next, but I love seeing Jon and the rest of the Kents as a family.

5 out of 5

Alí Flores–Feb 26, 2020

Well, that was quite fun. I really liked the whole plot, it kept me keen the whole volume, but this John thing bout growing up in a second was kinda weird, but all of the arc makes a lot of sense, hope Bendis keeps going the good way.

5 out of 5

Mike Jozic–Mar 22, 2020

Uneven, repetitive, a little confusing, weirdly paced, and, with exception to the ending which promises something really great, unsatisfying overall.
Volume two of Action Comics had the same problem so at least Bendis is being consistent.

5 out of 5

Kevin–Sep 27, 2019

Pretty intriguing Kryptonian lore going on here, and a surprise entrance from the Legion of Super Heroes (zapped in from the far future).

4 out of 5

Mr Osowski–Oct 19, 2019

How does one not like The Legion of Superheroes?

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